This invention has relation to board type games where one checker is placed on one square by each of the players as the play moves around the game board. Scoring is based on the ability to line up at least a minimum number of checkers belonging to one team in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line.
Chess, checkers and many other games are played on boards made up of horizontally and vertically aligned squares in two alternating colors. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 1,344,983 to Bruner, granted in June of 1920; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,842 to Rice, granted in October of 1952. See also the rules for checkers and chess in such documents as "Rules According to Hoyle".
Other board games have been devised whereby playing pieces of one kind or another can be moved over and along various designated areas on game boards. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,950 to Rosti et al, granted in July of 1959; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,885 to Wales, granted in December of 1956.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,520,207 to Graham, granted in August of 1950, a number of playing pieces are deposited by several players, each in their turn, on a game board to attempt to enclose geometric areas on the board. The enclosure of each such area by a player results in an award of a point to that player. These points are tabulated by placing counters, identifying each player by a particular color, within the areas enclosed. The player with the most counters at the end of the game is declared the winner.
Board games in which a player moves his playing piece over a number of squares or steps in a predetermined path upon the roll of dice, or the spinning of a pointer, are very well known and range from the game of Parcheesi to the game as set out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,154 to Niemann, granted in October of 1977.
The first five patents listed above were located during a search of the prior art conducted in 1959. The Niemann patent was obtained as a novelty because applicant's attorney was informed that it contained the longest issue patent claim.
The patent to Graham shows the use of numerous playing pieces which are placed one at a time by the players on a game board and shows the use of counters within a closed geometric figure on the game board to indicate scoring. The applicant takes no position as to how pertinent the other four early patents are to the present invention. The Niemann patent is not believed to be pertinent.
Neither applicant nor those associated with applicant know of any prior art which anticipates the invention claimed herein.